


Crossing Closer (It's a working progress)

by SwiftyTheWriter



Series: Shoot Hogwarts AU [3]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/F, Ravenclaw Root, Slytherin Shaw, im back, shoot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-27 08:31:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5041306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwiftyTheWriter/pseuds/SwiftyTheWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Just my luck,” Shaw thought. “Of all the people to qusi stalk me it just has to be someone with less self preservation instincts than I have.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crossing Closer (It's a working progress)

“Hey, Sweetie. Want to have some fun?”

Root smiled as Sameen’s head whipped around at the voice at her ear, looking up from her paper. Finally. She had been trying to get Sameen’s attention all morning.

“Root,” Shaw bit out like she was attempting to be calm. Though it may have been for the fact that they were currently in class rather than her benefit. Root didn’t mind.

“Yes, Sameen?”

“What did you do with my partner?” The small fifth year Slytherin spelled out each word through her teeth. Articulate, pissed off and so undeniably Sameen.

Root’s grin grew wider. “I have no idea what you’re implying, Shaw. If you haven’t noticed your partner hasn’t been present anytime in the past morning.”

* * *

 

Now that wasn’t strictly true. Sameen’s partner did show up for class after she did. But one glance of Root grinning widely at him whilst slipping in his seat was enough for him to get the message and run pale face and terrified to the Infirmary.

Root loved it when people acted predictably.

Root would’ve been fine then except the fact that Shaw was ignoring her. Not purposely of course. People found it very difficult to ignore her purposely. When she had first planted herself at Sam’s neighboring seat at the start of class everyone in the room became an onlooker. Everyone. She couldn’t fathom why. Even the Charms Professor gave them a one over with a raised eyebrow but looked too tired to say anything. She was glad.

But Sameen had still not noticed her nor had they done something fun all week. Not even curse someone that had pissed one of them off (mostly Sameen) and that was practically a daily occurrence in their...partnership. She was just too busy working on a ten page essay for this very class that was due by the end of the week. Which was in two days.

Now, Root was all about the pursuit of higher education but Sameen hadn’t even asked for help with this one. And everyone knew she was at the top of her class in Charms. But she was fine with it. Sameen had to do her work on her own eventually and Root would leave her to it because she knows it’s a pride thing no matter how stubborn…

But there was one flaw in that plan.

She was bored.

It wasn’t that Root found class boring like the lower lifeforms around her. (She had seen one drooling on his desk as he snored. Disgusting.) She liked class, most of the time. Especially Charms. Her teacher wasn’t insufferable and actually tried to make class interesting. And usually it was.

But as it was stated Root excels at Charms. So much so that she had gone over the teacher’s course level and learned everything there was to know from now to the next six months. Especially this pictacular lesson. The weren't even practicing magic they were learning the history and the correct pronunciation of the The Substantive Charm which for some reason the imbeciles around her didn’t understand the fact that it had latin origins and was translated to english later on like  
-

But the point was she was bored and Sameen was ignoring her.

Root had looked around the classroom at the people doing their predictable things trying to entertain herself. (Like the girl two rows behind her on the left who was once more picking her nose and trying to cheat off her neighbor who let her because they were dating. Or the quiet stoic boy who sat at the edge of the class never saying a word unless spoken too.) And something had finally caught her eye out the window. An idea popped in her mind. An idea so reckless and dangerous and fun she knew Sameen couldn’t resist. Not even for her ten page essay.

The fifth year quickly took a vial out of her bag the she had been saving for a special occasion and discreetly poured it on the floor around them. (Root could have sworn the Professor had against all odds turned at that moment and saw her and Root prepared to be called out if the potion didn’t work in time but then the Professor turned away to help a student with the written version of the latin incantation.)

Root smiled as the greenish potion slowly began to solidify and for smaller bits of itself reminding her of bark in a cauldron, except it most certainly wasn’t bark and the floor wasn’t a cauldron with purchase free unclimbable walls. She certainly was proud of her creation. It was worth the hours she slaved over it in the Potions dungeon.

She turned to Sameen who had her reasonably lengthed locks just starting to slip from her ponytail and her face still buried in that essay. Oh, yes. This was a great idea.

* * *

Shaw didn’t buy it.

She had been working on her essay for the past week. Despite her colorful record she did actually make an effort on behalf of her grades. She actually wanted to be an Auror and that couldn’t happen unless she worked at it. She wondered briefly what Root wanted to be, she had never asked.

But Sameen could tell Root was getting restless. So was she. Quidditch was canceled because someone had cursed half the brooms and now they were attacking anyone who dared walk by and she herself hadn’t so much as punched someone in a week. But she was determined to finish her essay.

Before Sameen could demand once more of Root of what the brunette had done with her partner (She didn’t actually care but it was the principle of the thing) screams broke out. Shaw looked around. What looked like large green ants made entirely of fire were swarming around attacking their fellow classmates.

All of them except her and Root, Shaw noted.

“Friends of yours?” Sameen inquired, looking at the array of chaos. While amusing, in any minute an army of professors would burst in to contain the situation and inquire why her and Root were the only ones sitting calmly at their desk with no welts or burns while everyone else screamed and danced. As far as anonymity goes this was not one of Root’s best. Shaw then realized that was by design. She had no chance to finish her essay during class now. She resumed being annoyed at Root.

“You could say that,” Root’s eyes glinted as she leaned towards her, a lazy grin turned predatory on her lips. Shaw looked back. They were mere inches apart. A door slammed open behind them and their classmate ran into the hall screaming, a smell of acrid smoke wafting behind him. More followed. Sameen could feel the ants multiplying and their fire singeing her shoes. She still didn’t break the stare. It was almost like a contest, a dare. And Sameen was never one to back away from a challenge.

Root was the one who broke the gaze but didn’t back away. She looked at the students streaming into the hall covered in her creation and mummered, “That’s our cue.”

Root looked back at Shaw and Shaw leaned quickly away to grab her stuff before it caught on fire. Root’s grin had turned into a smirk. As they got out of there she couldn’t help feeling in the pit of her stomach that even though Root had looked away first, whatever contest that was, Root had won. Or maybe she was just hungry. She didn’t like it either way.

As they ran out she noticed a few other people leaving who weren’t covered and screaming in the vicious ants. Like the teacher. And that stoic boy she had played against in Quidditch. He nodded a hello at her and looked exasperated at Root. He seemed friendly enough but Shaw still pulled Root a different direction than he was going without thinking. She couldn’t really think of why.

Shaw then dropped her grip on Root when they were clear of the crowd and headed down one of the side passageways.

“Where are you going, Sameen.” Shaw tensed and reminded herself to tell Root not to call her that before she lost her temper punched her one of these days. Not that Root would listen. She was stubborn like that.

“I’m going to the library, Root,” She tried to mimic the calm coolness that used to come so easy but a look from her whatever Root was told her she wasn’t pulling it off. “As you see,” She gestured at the end of the hall where screams were still coming from, “Someone interrupted my class so now I am going to finish my essay elsewhere.”

She didn’t even have to decency to look guilty. The Ravenclaw just grinned at her and took a step forward. Shaw tensed as she leaned towards her but she felt some relief as she just did so to whisper into her ear.

Root’s long brown locks tickled her cheek as she spoke and Shaw did her best to look unfazed rather than tense in some strange anticipation of god knows what and listened to what she had to say.

And what she said brought blood to her cheeks and got her heart pumping with shock and then excitement.

Root said, “How would you like to race to the heart of the Whomping Willow?”

The essay could wait.

* * *

 

So there they were, Root found herself. Standing with Shaw in the middle of a soaking field in wet, freezing weather that had rained all afternoon.

They were holding their own broomsticks that (hopefully) worked and wouldn’t try to kill them mid air like the cursed ones being locked away in storage. Any sane person would never even consider trying to race to the heart of the willow in fault of the weather alone. Not to mention that the entire idea was flirting with expulsion at best, a broken neck at worst.

Luckily, Root had never considered herself sane.

Shaw on the other hand looked a little bit skeptical. “Are you sure you know how to fly that thing?”

“Of course I do,” Root tried not to sound overly offended. “I made it myself.”

Shaw looked faintly alarmed at that piece of news but before she could say anything Root was off.

The air was damp and stinging cold but at the same time an updraft came from underneath her and she shot up a good fifty feet off the ground. She smiled a genuine smile. She missed this.

Shaw joined her side soon after.  
...  
They flew around together a bit, diving and climbing and whatnot just to get a feel of the weather. It was drafty but not so much so that they had to push against a current to get somewhere and so cold that it bit through their robes but not enough to give them frostbite or to warrant grabbing a coat. They’d warm up eventually.

The plan was simple. Root would keep the Whomping Willow occupied while Shaw would wait for an opening and dive into the heart without getting hit. At the base of the tree there was a patch of purple wildflowers growing there against all odds. Shaw would dive in get one and fly out. It was her natural skills at being able to make steep dives, turns and stops at seconds notice that landed Shaw the job of Seeker on her team instead of just Beater. It had now landed her this job as well.

Root on the other hand was a shockingly phenomenal flyer. Able to sense when to move to get the best altitude at any given moment by feeling how the weather moved around her and affected her surroundings. It was obvious the only reason Root wasn’t on a Quidditch team is because she didn’t play well with others. Except Shaw as it seems.

“Now remember, getting to the center is the hard part,” Root reminded Shaw, who looked impatient at the thought of standing still even for a moment. “Once you get there all you have to do is press the knothole and we're free and clear. The willow will immediately relax and we can take off.”

With our heads intact wasn’t added but was obviously implied.

“On my mark,” Root said.

“No, on my mark.” Shaw suddenly broke in. She looked mildly surprised at herself but she still looked at Root with steely eyes as if daring her to challenge her.

Root slowly grinned, Shaw’s little display of dominance clearing up any small cobwebs of apprehension she might have had.

“Alright,” She said. “On your mark.”

Before she took off to her position she said into Shaw’s ear, “I love it when you get all controlling.”

Shaw scowled at the retreating figure but despite her best efforts she couldn’t help the shiver that raced down her spine.

* * *

 

Now Shaw was flying alone with Root just about twenty feet above and to the left of her. Both just out of reach of the tree. It had started drizzling again. She was waiting for her call and Shaw was beginning to regret asking to be the one to call it. Only a little bit though. She was the captain of her Quidditch team. This is where she belonged. And unlike everything else in her life where Root was involved she was going to have some goddamn control.

She turned her face towards the wind. It seemed to be letting up. They might as well go now before they started soaking wet and falling off their brooms. The mental image would’ve probably been funny with anyone else but with Root…

“Now!” Sameen called. Root nodded and headed straight towards the willow.

* * *

 

  
The Whomping Willow- despite it’s name and reputation -was strangely beautiful, in a powerful sort of way. Could power be beautiful? Root had idea. But if it was this was it. These were the thoughts Root pondered as she sped towards the willow which reacted instantaneously, shaking water off that spun through the air like crystals, clumping it’s main stronger branches together and weaving in and out vaguely reminding her of that one time she found a nest of baby snakes behind her mother’s house in Texas with-

 

WHUMP

Root quickly spun away from the almost hit mentally berating herself. She needs to be more careful. She can’t afford to think about...ghosts that need to be left long in the past. Considering what’s she’s trying to do she needs to focus no more than ever otherwise not just her but Sameen could get squashed.

 

The Sameen who is currently yelling at her from the sidelines.

 

“What are you doing, Root? Dozing off? I’ve seen first years with better reflexes than that,” Shaw yelled at her. Root then knew she didn’t get captain’s seat just for her fancy flying. She could pity the teammates that dare piss Shaw off and if it wasn’t for the slight tone of concern thought she heard under the chastising she would’ve told Sameen where exactly she could put her broomstick.

 

Root then with a even more reckless streak than usual decided to drive herself right into the thicket ignoring Sameen’s calls of protest. She dodged and jumped and spun at the nonstop assault that the tree threw at her. She felt giddy. She felt powerful. She felt on the top of the world. Realistically she knew it was an adrenal response to the high stakes situation she had put herself in but she couldn’t really bring herself to care. She was in control. She was invincible.

 

Root went faster and faster making the willow more and more occupied with her until finally almost all its limbs were trying to swat her and a gap had opened up right over there- and there Shaw went- shooting like a comment through it. Later Root would recall that she might have been swearing the entire time she had done it but she was still too caught up in the the thrill of chase and avoiding capture. It was exhilarating.

 

Until a lucky branch of the Willow had caught her by the ankle and down she went.

* * *

Of all the stupid things Shaw had seen Root do this had got to be the stupidest. Originally when she had agreed to be one to dive to get the flower she had done so because it had made sense. Out of the two she was the best suited to make quick split second dives with little to no notice.

What she did not realize is that it would involve staying on the sidelines and watching Root do all the work until she became useful.

She was stationary on her broomstick, rain dripping down her face, trying to pretend she didn’t have a death grip on her broomstick or that practically every muscle in her body was tense. And she was really fucking cold and all she could do is yell at Root when she seemed to fly straight for the first branch that swung her way like she wasn’t paying attention. She dodged it but that is not the point.

“What are you doing, Root? Dozing off? I’ve seen first years with better reflexes than that,” Shaw yelled. Anger was good. Anger was warm. Anger was better than whatever she was feeling was. Plus it seemed to work on motivating Root who started moving faster. Really fast. Right into the-

“What the fuck are you doing, Root,” Shaw tried to shout over the surprisingly loud noise that the violent tree was making. Shaw had admired that tree. Anything with that good an offense had got her respect. Shaw had also agreed that Root should stick to the edges of said tree. Not plunge into the middle of it like she was…

“Crazy?” A voice in her head offered.

No, more like reckless. “Just my luck,” Shaw thought. “Of all the people to qusi stalk me it just has to be someone with less self preservation instincts than I have.”

And then just like magic a gap opened up between the branches. Root darted in and out of the branches like a blur and even though Shaw didn’t approve she was never one to waste a good opportunity.

 

In the seconds it had taken to open the gap Shaw was already inside. She had met some resistance from the branches but the willow had divulged all of it’s attention to Root and it was too late to stop her.

Shaw had heard a giddy laugh trail from above her and almost felt the same way. She was just feet away from the base when she heard a yelp and the sound of air rushing out of lungs. She new what that sound was. The weather was now storming around them, thundering and turbulent. it reminded Shaw of another night. Shaw was going at a breakneck pace couldn't look back to see if-

Shaw slammed her hand on the knothole and the tree fell quiet once more.

* * *

 

“So you and Ms. Groves were out flying, correct?” Came the skeptical voice of the headmaster.

“Correct,” Shaw answered.

“Which you went after the incident in Charms?”

“It was our last class of the day.”

“Answer the question.”

Shaw sighed, “Correct.”

“Where you and Ms. Groves remained unharmed during the whole ordeal.”

Shaw bristled, “We weren’t the only ones.”

“Ms. Shaw-”

“Correct.”

“So you and Ms. Groves spend the afternoon flying in admittedly bad weather and then you two just happen to get blown into the Whomping Willow.”

“Correct.”

“And you two just happen to come out with virtually unharmed besides a sprained ankle and a wrecked broomstick on Ms. Groves part.”

“That’s correct, Headmaster, sir,” Root chirped up besides her.

The Headmaster glared at her, “I’ll get to you in a minute.”

Root gave a two finger salute and sat back down and Shaw had to bite back a smirk of her own.

The Headmaster looked back at Shaw looking thoroughly exasperated, “Now tell me what happened then.”

“Well after I hit the trunk the willow went all quiet and I dragged,” Shaw pointed at Root, “ to the infirmary. And then I explained what happened to the nurse and now we’re sitting here.” Shaw recounted dryly.

“It was all very dramatic,” Root couldn’t resist adding. “I think I cried.”

“More like whined,” Shaw muttered back. Root smirked at her.

“Yes, yes. I’m aware.” The Headmaster said, looking very uncomfortable at the exchange. “I have to ask these questions.”

“Of course, sir.” Root said, looking wide eyed and innocent. Shaw bit back a snort.

A similar conversation took place between the Headmaster and Root only more sarcastic than the first until the weary Headmaster dismissed finally them to go to the banquet for dinner.

By the time the sat at their usual table (The Slytherins had gotten used to Root’s presence there and had finally stopped sending shaky prefects to please as her to leave) Shaw was famished and dug into to dinner with with great enthusiasm. She only looked up after a quarter hour to breathe and get more food when she saw the awed looks her table and most of the others were throwing her. Her and Root.

Shaw looked at Root. Root shrugged, “Rumors apparently abound when the two of us go missing for the afternoon and come in late. Some of them are even close to the truth.”

Root then smiled for a second, similar to the smile she had before she told her the plans for the afternoon but softer somehow. Shaw was too busy wondering what she was up to when Root picked a purple flower out from her robes and quickly placed it in Shaw’s hair.

Shaw scowled and was about to pull it out when she noticed the hush that fell over most of the entire populace of the banquet hall. She saw the curious faces that had glanced at her turn to awe and shocked silence. Everyone knew what that flower ment. Shaw decided to leave it in, just for a bit, everyone’s stunned faces over her made it worth it.

She looked at Root that still had that same sharp yet soft smile on her face whilst looking at her.

Yeah, it was worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm back and possibly as mediocre as ever!!! I had a crazy summer! My computer broke and I was on mobile for months. But now I'm back with the same amount of unfortunately timed inspiration as ever! So tell me what you think! Love it? Hate it? Are you praying to the femslash gods that my computer breaks again? Tell me! 
> 
> Also, I tried my hand at baby gays Shoot. On a scale of one to ten how awful was I? 
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! Have a fantastic day!


End file.
